Opening the Second Battlefield

The sky was dim, heavy clouds pressing low.

A torrential downpour suddenly swept over the midsummer afternoon.

Summer’s rainy season was always fierce, but this year the rainfall was twice that of previous years.

In many parts of the city, the water had already risen past knee-height, and residents everywhere were grumbling as they set up makeshift flood defenses.

“Liyun, I’m back.”

Ji Meng stepped into the house.

The living room, as expected, was pitch-black.

It was as if no one had been living here at all.

She opened the bedroom door.

A lump of blanket lay curled up on the big bed.

“…Liyun.”

“……”

“I saw Elera a few days ago.”

The blanket on the bed instantly stirred—

Liyun flung it aside.

Her face was a little wan, but she still ran toward Ji Meng with urgency.

“Sis, you saw her?!”

The obsession—nearly to the point of madness—in Liyun’s eyes made Ji Meng’s heart twist.

“Sis! Answer me!”

“Mm… she’s even harder to deal with than before. If Xingyue hadn’t saved me, I might have…”

Hearing that, Liyun loosened her grip on Ji Meng’s shoulders, her whole body deflating as she lowered her head.

“I’m sorry, Sis…”

“If only I could transform… then you wouldn’t have to face such danger.”

?!

Surprise flickered through Ji Meng’s disappointed eyes, a rush of joy welling up inside her.

So her little sister still cared about her after all!

“It’s fine, Liyun. Right now you just need to protect your health. You’ll definitely recover—”

“If I could transform, then even if I couldn’t beat Elera, at least I could be by your side…”

The words Ji Meng was about to say died in her throat.

She just stared blankly at her.

What did she see? Nothing at all.

In her sister’s eyes, she saw no place for herself.

“Enough…”

“Sis, I’ll try again tomorrow. This time I’m sure—”

“I said enough!”

Ji Meng suddenly shoved her away, stumbling back until she collapsed into a chair.

The push sent Liyun falling to the floor as well.

Puzzled and confused, she still seemed to realize Ji Meng was angry, and quietly asked:

“Sis, what’s wrong with you?”

“How much longer are you going to go on like this?”

“It’s been seven years—ever since that woman… after that! You’ve abandoned your responsibilities as a magical girl for seven whole years!”

“Right now, I can’t see even a trace of what a magical girl should be in you!”

Ji Meng stared at the floor with a bitter expression, a bleak smile tugging at her lips.

“It’s my fault… If someone with your mindset could still transform into a magical girl, it would be an insult to all those who had to retire early.”

Thump, thump, thump.

Liyun staggered forward and grabbed Ji Meng’s shoulders, already on the verge of losing control.

“Sis? Sis!? Why are you saying this? Haven’t you always been on my side… why would you say something so hurtful?”

“So you do know I’ve always been on your side?!”

Ji Meng wrenched free of her hands, screaming hysterically.

“For seven years I’ve been the one living with you, caring for you, holding your seat for you—why can’t you just look at me a little more, your own sister, instead of always pining after Elera?! Do you just think I don’t exist?”

“I want you to look at me too!”

“Why can’t you look at me the way you used to?”

Ji Meng’s voice broke into sobs.

“Why have you… become like this…”

She transformed into a magical girl, ignoring the rain pouring outside, and bolted out the door.

She had no destination.

She just wanted to run from this place, no matter what.

She didn’t know where she ended up.

An Yu collided into someone, knocking the umbrella from their hands, then crumpled to the ground in tears, curling up and muttering “I’m sorry” over and over.

The rain drenched them both in an instant.

“…Are you here just to throw yourself at me?”

That familiar voice made An Yu slowly lift her head.

Through rain-blurred vision, she saw a girl in casual clothes, a mask over her face, and long silver hair, looking down at her from above.

“E…lera?”

“That’s me.”

“……”

For some reason, her hand rose on its own and clutched at the hem of the girl’s skirt.

An Yu leaned against her leg.

“Let me… forget everything…”

???

Luo You was baffled.

What did she mean, “let me forget everything”? What was this about?

Bad sign—could this be a trap set by Xingyue?

Today was supposed to be the day of Royal Duel 2.0.

She was on her way to the hotel for the appointment.

Xingyue had already booked the room, and from a distance she could see the lights flickering inside.

A midsummer night, wind and rain howling—it had all the makings of a final duel atop the Forbidden City.

No matter how much noise they made, no one would hear; the storm would wash it all away.

And yet—

On the night meant for her and Xingyue to settle their score, another Ten Seat showed up.

And told her, “Let me forget everything.”

Luo You simply could not understand.

No surprise she was her daughter’s sister—no blood relation, but the same nonsensical way of speaking.

“Um… I don’t mind a threesome, but could you at least tell me what’s going on?”

“Could you… go see my sister Liyun? (quietly)”

“Huh?”

The hand clutching her skirt suddenly tightened, tugging it down.

An Yu looked up at her, pleading humbly:

“Please, could you go see my sister Liyun?”

“Ha… and what’s the reason?”

Luo You discreetly lifted her skirt back up.

“My sister… because of what you did to her in the past, she can’t transform into a magical girl anymore. She’s been acting… strange at home. So I thought… if she could see you, maybe something would change…”

“Ugh…”

Luo You could feel trouble sticking to her like a leech.

Someone as free-spirited as her would never want to shoulder the consequences of magical-girl hunts from years ago.

She stayed silent for a long time.

Just when An Yu was about to lose hope, Luo You finally spoke.

“It won’t be free.”

“I know… I’m prepared for that…”

“I’m going to do something to you. Don’t resist.”

Luo You touched a finger to her forehead.

Brainwash hypnosis! Brainwash hypnosis! Brainwash hypnosis!

Maybe because An Yu had already been like a walking corpse before this, even under hypnosis she didn’t look much different.

“Did Xingyue arrange for you to be here?”

“No… pure coincidence…” An Yu answered dully.

“Do you know what Xingyue plans to do next?”

“I don’t…”

“Alright, then come with me.”

Luo You sighed.

What a mess.

She was only agreeing this time because An Yu and Liyun were her daughter’s sisters.

She’d settle the whole family’s issues quickly, cut all ties of cause and effect, and never touch them again.

That was the plan—

Her figure is seriously amazing!! Totally the smother-me-to-death big-sister type!

Luo You’s eyes kept wandering over An Yu’s rain-soaked curves.

She was so distracted she almost walked straight into a railing.

If she could be sandwiched between Xingyue and An Yu, even suffocating to death would be worth it.

Unfortunately, she couldn’t do that.

Xingyue was sly as a serpent—no telling what that woman was plotting.

Recklessly bringing An Yu into the equation would only hurt her own position.

“Then let’s split it into an upper and lower half!”

So Luo You booked An Yu a room one floor below the agreed-upon duel location.